DS-1 Mod results...

[MetalGod]

ok, so I got a DS-1 recently and it didn't sound too bad in stock form, but there are mods out there so they MUST improve it right? - wrong! 

I did some searches here and came up with the most popular set of mods - has anyone actually done these mods and liked the result?  My pedal now sound farty and compressed in the bass end and ragged all round. Here's the list of changes...

C1 - 0.1uF
C2 - 1uF
C3 – 0.1uF
C3 – 0.1uF
C5 - 0.1uF
C8 – 1uF
C9 – 1uF
C11 - 0.047uF
C12 - 0.1uF
C13 – 0.1uF
C14 – 1uF
D4 - 3mm LED in series with stock diode
D5 - 3mm LED
R13 – 2k4
R14 – 1k5
R39 - 20K

I'm gonna put the pedal back to stock and play around with some ideas of my own - the way it sounded was that there is WAY too much bass in the pedal now.  Changing R13 down to 2k4 gives it alot more gain too, probably too much to stay focused imo.

Anyone got some better mods for this thing? - I'm thinking that there is scope for messing with the single transistor stage feeding the opamp.  Might just be better to breadboard a bare-bones version of this rather than keep modding the actual pedal to death - the solder pads will only take so much.

[Arn C.]

Yes


Peace!
Arn C.

[aab0mb]

Did you change all the components at once?  I've seen people on this forum suggest that you change one piece at a time and then plug in and listen for the result.  I believe a gradual process might get the pedal to a place where you like it.  There could be that one part that makes or breaks it but it's tough to nail down if you change things all at once.  "All in" is pretty gutsy IMO.  I spent the weekend placing and replacing things in a boss pedal to get a new sound.  It's a slow process sometimes. 

Good luck,
A

[moro]

Is that the Keeley mod? You could try the Melanhead mod, which is based on the Keeley, but with less bass.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=32443.0

[MartyMart]

Depends on a lot of variables, like your guitar/how you play/your amp/other FX
That particular set of mods does have quite a bit of low end going on, stick with some of the
original 0.047uf's or even 0.033uf's unless you're after "Drop D Metal" tones 

[petemoore]

  with no intended discredit to what a DS-1 can sound like [except for the first one I liked but sold, they sounded mud to harsh].
I'm gonna put the pedal back to stock and play around with some ideas of my own - the way it sounded was that there is WAY too much bass in the pedal now.  Changing R13 down to 2k4 gives it alot more gain too, probably too much to stay focused imo.
  It looked tricky to figure out where to voice it. It Can generate great distortion, but tuning it is..well there's a lot of places where it can be tuned. For bass rolloff I would try output [even outside the box] then input, and try to let that ~guide at what point in the circuit I think I'd want to rolloff bass.
  Anyone got some better mods for this thing? - I'm thinking that there is scope for messing with the single transistor stage feeding the opamp.  Might just be better to breadboard a bare-bones version of this rather than keep modding the actual pedal to death - the solder pads will only take so much.
  Similar to the story I'd envisioned [but not played out] when faced with a skanky DS-1 sound, instead...it ended up in a back seat floor then somewhere else...and I'd opted for voicing a basic distortion [Dist+, but RAT these days], for that type of Distorter sound [I use alot of FF].
  I built the DIST+, diddled with diodes and caps and even resistors on that, added a HF rolloff pot where the diode cap was, added input voice variability, booster with TC in front or 2voiced booster or compressor etc. Basic voiced to taste Dist+ W/booster front end or after worked better for me but is more than a 3 knob distorter too.
  Sounds like you're getting to know the DS-1, might be all you still need is a little less bass in it or out of it, or that the 'sprinkle' rolloff [caps rolling off in a sequenced ratio]...look at the original ratio of the bass rolloff caps [frequencies can 're-grows' when amplified], prehaps follow the ratio sort of but with slightly different values, before clipping and after clipping will sound different.
 

[hendrix2489]

C7 needs to be changed to a 220pf cap like http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j23/overdrivespider/?action=view&current=step03_04.jpg

There needs to be a 47pf cap across clipping diodes, solder the cap to here:http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j23/overdrivespider/?action=view&current=step03_05.jpg

hope this help.

[Ed G.]

I never thought the DS-1 had a shortage of bass, stock. Ridiculous to try to increase that, you just get mud.

The problem was always with the harshness. Like a previous poster said, it goes from icepick to mud with little in-between.

[MetalGod]

C7 needs to be changed to a 220pf cap like http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j23/overdrivespider/?action=view&current=step03_04.jpg

C7 is already 220pF as stock - changing it to a silver mica cap of the same value won't help with farty bass.

There needs to be a 47pf cap across clipping diodes, solder the cap to here:http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j23/overdrivespider/?action=view&current=step03_05.jpg

now I REALLY can't see the point of this one at all when there is already a 0.01uF cap across those diodes - 47pF isn't enough to make a difference here imo.

Thanks for the suggestion though, I know you meant well.

[MetalGod]

btw, does anyone actually know what R39 does in this circuit - the popular mod is to half it's value to 20k but what is this doing?  since it's not on the original schem it's hard to tell.

[MartyMart]

btw, does anyone actually know what R39 does in this circuit - the popular mod is to half it's value to 20k but what is this doing?  since it's not on the original schem it's hard to tell.

On the "modern" DS-1 R39 is in series with the opamp "+" input, so reducing it will let more signal through.
I have used 33k's here on a regular basis and that's enough for me, perhaps 20k is a little hot ....
MM.

[Melanhead]

Is that the Keeley mod? You could try the Melanhead mod, which is based on the Keeley, but with less bass.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=32443.0

I second that! ...

[MetalGod]

btw, does anyone actually know what R39 does in this circuit - the popular mod is to half it's value to 20k but what is this doing?  since it's not on the original schem it's hard to tell.

On the "modern" DS-1 R39 is in series with the opamp "+" input, so reducing it will let more signal through.
I have used 33k's here on a regular basis and that's enough for me, perhaps 20k is a little hot ....
MM.

thanks for that - I've actually got a newer schem now that shows the (dual) opamp hookup for the newer versions.  I've put a 39k in there for R39 - slightly hotter, but not so much that you get that blocking distortion sound.